Practice AP Environmental Science questions on wind energy benefits, reduced fossil-fuel impacts, birds, bats, and habitat effects.
An offshore wind farm project using turbines to generate electricity is to be built along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It will be located about 13 km from the coast in water with an average depth of 10 m.
Describe one environmental benefit associated with an offshore wind project.
(l point for correct description of an environmental benefit associated with an offshore wind project)
- Reduced environmental damage from decreased reliance on fossil fuels, such as:
- Less habitat/ecosystem destruction due to less exploration and extraction (less mining or drilling, etc.)
- Less air/soil/water pollution (less exhaust emissions, pipeline leaks, tanker leaks) due to less transportation of fossil fuels
- Less air pollution (no/fewer particulates, VOCs,NOx,SOx,CO2, or greenhouse gases) due to less fossil fuel combustion
- Reduced environmental damage from decreased reliance on nuclear power, such as:
- No risk of radioactive releases with accidents
- No hazardous/radioactive wastes to store
- Less exploration/ extraction/processing for uranium ore
- Increased aquatic habitat/artificial reefs for barnacles, sponges, other invertebrates, fish